It Could be the Last Time
by Ada C. Eliana
Summary: Oneshot. With the Halliwells always in danger, it's important to choose one's words carefully. Chris and Wyatt brotherfic.


A/N: This is just a little oneshot showing Chris and Wyatt when they were younger. It includes characters from my other stories, but it's mainly about the brothers.

Wyatt would be 14 here, and Chris 13.

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**It Could be the Last Time**

By: Ada C. Eliana

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"Come on, Chris, you're not still mad at me, are you?" Wyatt asks, sitting on the edge of his brother's bed. Chris pulls the covers over his head and refuses to speak to his brother. "Well alright then. But you have to get up, Mom wants you to go to the vineyard to stay with Uncle Alec while we're gone."

"How come you get to go with them?" Chris mumbles.

"Mom says I have to… she thinks the Power of Three won't be enough this time."

"Why can't I go too?"

"You're too little, Chris."

Chris sits up indignantly. "I'm only a year younger than you!" he protests.

"Yes well, you'll see in a year, you'll feel a lot older than you do now. Besides, someone has to look after Lena if we don't come back."

"You always get to go with them! It's not fair! I hate you!"

Wyatt's face falls. "Well I love you," he whispers. He leans down, aiming a kiss at his brother's forehead, but Chris dodges him. Before Wyatt can stop him, Chris orbs to their uncle's house, effectively stopping the older boy from saying goodbye.

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The family meets up in Alec and Phoebe's house. Wyatt notes with disappointment that Chjris is not assembled in the foyer with everyone else. "He's upstairs," Lena tells him without needing him to voice the question. Wyatt nods sadly. "Be careful, Wy," Lena says, wrapping her thin arms around his waist. He smiles, bending down to embrace her.

"I will."

"And remember, you promised to help me with my project this weekend, so you have to come back. If you didn't come back, that'd make you a liar, and that's not good at all!"

"You're right, that's not good," Wyatt smiles. "I'll be back Lena-bear, and your project will be kick-ass."

She smiles brightly at him and withdraws. Wyatt exchanges a manly hug with his uncle, and then turns to his parents and aunts. They wave at Alec and Lena before they disappear in a flurry of orbs.

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Chris stays in Lena's room as the others gather downstairs to see the Charmed Ones, Leo, and Wyatt off. He crushes his face into a fluffy pillow as he hears them saying goodbye. He doesn't look up when his cousin pads into the room and climbs into the huge bed. "Wyatt was looking for you," she says quietly, clutching a stuffed cat to her chest.

"Wyatt's a jerk," Chris mutters without looking at her.

"No he's not," Lena protests. "He's the strongest, and the bravest, and the best oldest cousin."

"What do you know? You're just a stupid kid."

She doesn't say anything for a long time, and Chris wonders if she's crying. _Big baby,_ he thinks. But when he finally turns to see, she's just staring at him. He looks away from those big eyes, not wanting to watch her watching him. She doesn't say anything for the rest of the night; it's not long after that short exchange that she falls asleep. But Chris can't sleep.

As one hour turns into two, and then three, Chris' imagination begins to run wild. He imagines Wyatt lying on the ground somewhere, hurt and bleeding and alone. Chris hugs his arms tightly around himself, shuddering at the thought of Wyatt's eyes filled with pain. He thinks of Wyatt, throwing himself defensively in front of their mother and being cut in two by a demon somewhere far away. He wishes he had listened when his family had discussed the demon they were going after, because he can't remember what sort it is. Would it have weapons? Would it use fireballs, or energy balls, or ice? With too many possibilities, he sees terrible scenario after terrible scenario play behind his eyes, each ending with Wyatt dead.

Chris remembers Wyatt trying to say goodbye to him and shame colors his cheeks. He had pulled away from his brother, and at the time he felt triumphant at the disappointed expression on Wyatt's face, but now it just makes him feel sick. What if that was the last time he would ever see Wyatt? How could he live with that?

Tears come to his eyes, and he tries to stifle them but a loud sob escapes him. He wants his brother; he wants to say he's sorry; he wants him to know that he didn't mean what he said. There's movement on the bed, and Lena's sleepy face appears before him. "Are you okay?" she whispers. He shakes his head bitterly. She sits up, patting his head. Then she pulls him close to her, trying to comfort him. He leans into his little cousin, letting her stroke his hair as he cries.

Chris doesn't remember falling asleep, but hours later he blinks his eyes open to find morning light pouring through the window. He sees Lena's face inches from his, eyes closed and sleeping deeply. He tries to get up but finds himself trapped. There's a heavy arm on top of him, holding him down. He twists in the hold and manages to roll over. Wyatt is lying beside him; the arm is his, and he has apparently been holding him in his sleep. Chris smiles in relief to see his brother, and moves closer to him. If anyone asks, Chris will just say he must've moved in his sleep. He lays his head against his brother's chest, the rhythmic beating of his heart lulling him to sleep.

Wyatt quirks one eye open, smiling as Chris snuggles against him. Later when they get up, Wyatt knows that Chris will apologize over and over for their stupid fight; but this is all Wyatt needs to know his brother loves him. As Chris falls asleep, Wyatt tightens his hold on him and presses a kiss to the top of his head.

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**A/N: Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you thought!**

**-Ada**


End file.
